WORK PROGRESSING ON TAMMS PRISON DESPITE RUMORS

TAMMS, Ill. -- Work is progressing on construction of the $60 million super maximum-security prison at Tamms.

"The project is going well," Mia Jazo, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Corrections Capital Development Board, said Friday.

"The only thing that will stop work at the Tamms project now is the weather," added Nic Howell, of the Department of Corrections Public Affairs Department.

Jazo and Howell were speaking in response to reports from Southern Illinois that work was slowed at the super max site due to inaction by the Illinois House on a bond authorization bill.

"The majority of funds for the Tamms prison are intact," said Jazo. "We do lack about $4.5 million in funding to complete the prison, and we'll need to see where that money is coming from by June of 1996 or there will be some concerns. But right now, everything is on go for the project."

Water, sewer and gas lines have been extended to the site and a new access road from Illinois 127 is finished.

The new 500-bed prison is targeted for completion in 1997.

State Sen. Jim Rea, 59th District, agreed that the bond authorization measure could slow the project near its end, but said it would not affect it now.

The Senate passed the bond authorization bill, but the measure failed to get the two-thirds majority needed in the House.

The fall session ended with the General Assembly failing to take up the $190 million bond authorization bill, which would have financed some prison and school building projects. The measure didn't have the necessary votes from Democrats.

"We will look at the bonding bill when we reconvene next year," said David Phelps (D-Eldorado), "There was a lot of pork in the bill as it was and I don't take that lightly."

The $7.3 million minimum-security work camp at the super max site opened last summer. The camp consists of four buildings totaling more than 55,000 square feet.

The largest is the vocational building, which includes the gym, weight rooms and recreation areas. The 91-by-145-foot building is the only two-level structure. The administration building is 81 by 196 feet; the dormitory building is 200 by 60 feet; and the vehicle maintenance structure is 40 by 175 feet.

When fully operational, the new super max prison will house 500 of the state's most violent inmates. The prison will employ about 385 people and will operate on a $17.5 million annual budget.

Originally, 30 communities sought the prison before the list was narrowed to five. Tamms was selected as the site in October 1993.